Water News

Too much water is making its way from Colorado into Nebraska via the South Platte River, say legislators, water experts and water users. Storage solutions could cost up to $1 billion. Not only are they expensive, new storage reservoirs are complicated by other issues, such as environmental impacts and regulatory burdens. While there is more than enough water during the wet season, there is a significant shortage when water is needed.

Butte County is suing the California Department of Water Resources for billions of dollars following February’s Oroville Dam fracture. This is on top of numerous other lawsuits by business owners and other local governments.

The Trump administration prides itself on deregulation, but when it comes to the federal approval process involving the nation’s water, critics say that Trump’s “more efficient” process will mean that local governments will bear increased burdens of waste, pollution and cost.

The San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona have spiritual significance to nearby Native Americans and economic significance for those who rely on skiers making their way to the Snowbowl. This apparent clash of interests has been the subject of lawsuits, including an action by the Navajo Nation several years ago. A similar case brought by the Hopi Tribe, located within the Navajo Nation, concerning snow-making at the mountain has been reinstated.

A controversial piece of legislation in Wisconsin is pitting business groups against environmental organizations. The Republican-sponsored law would roll back protections for wetlands not connected to a navigable waterway.